What Little Girls are Made of
by Noelie
Summary: QuiGon reconciles with his friend Noela after his present in How To Handle a Woman. This introduces Mere, her youngest sister.Story by Noelie


Noela's commlink buzzed in that familiar tone, all too familiar after the last few weeks. She smiled knowing however that her wrath had now burned itself out, and that she could no more continue to be angry with him than she could one of her own family.

"Yes Jinn? What do you want now?" She inquired in her very best "Ambassador about town" voice.

"Just tell me what I have to do. I don't understand." He pleaded. There was something deliciously right about having a Jedi Knight at your beck and call, but Noela knew it was high time to let him off the hook. Besides she would be leaving tomorrow to continue some of the negotiations and relief work on SanaVi'el. The myth of the monster serpent and the fair maiden was now a popular folklore on that planet, and had actually garnered some prestige for her office.

Besides it wouldn't do to teach little Mere bad words to have to explain to Grandmamma when she returned to Alderaan.

"Nothing," she said simply.

"J'm, please forgive me," he intoned in that special wheedling way he had used over the last couple of weeks.

"I said nothing, because there isn't anything required. I am sorry I was so angry, but I am not angry anymore."

She could hear his smile, even though he said nothing. In the background the giggles of Meredith filled the air. Noela had brought her a brightly colored helioball earlier in the afternoon, and the little girl had been enraptured ever since.

"Arrange to accidentally meet me somewhere Noela." She grinned in spite of herself.

"And have Yoda breathing down my back once more for causing you to become more and more attached according to him? No thank you. I would think the blondes are a far bigger source for such a thing as myself. We haven't so much as hugged romantically, let alone anything else."

As always when the topic came up, he got silent. "Who do I hear in the background? Don't tell me that you arrange for apprenticeships in politics right out of the crèche on Alderaan." He inquired with curiosity.

"Not politics, music. That is my baby sister Meredith you hear, natural musical genius extraordinaire. She is staying with me while she is being evaluated by masters in music." She explained, pride clearly lining her voice.

"You and your sisters are frightening Noela. No, wrong wording, intimidating. Did you know that?"

She snorted, "Yes, this coming from a Jedi. Besides it was poor Tatiana you had flustered when she saw you over your nose. She felt she was nowhere in the league of the Jedi Healers and only did us that favor so that we wouldn't miss our evening because you were sure the Jedi healers would keep you locked up over that little mishap."

"Well you try thinking you are seeing double of a woman, when it is only her sister that looks exactly like her."

"You won't have that problem with little Meredith, unless you think I have flaming red hair and brilliant green eyes. Besides she is only 6 years old. She is my best excuse for not meeting you, as we have a sister date this afternoon at the Coruscant Flora and Fauna Preserve Center, before I have to return her to Alderaan and Grandmamma's care, so I can continue on to my diplomatic junket."

"Ah, well I suppose then I will make myself useful and repack my tunics for my journey. Should I bring you anything when I come back?" He always asked, and she always refused, so he was surprised to hear: "Just make sure that whatever you do bring isn't slimy, green and 2 meters long."

He had done as he said, and packed and repacked his sparse assortment of clothing, and personal care items. He had looked at the data files and knew beyond the law that states that anything that can go wrong will go wrong, he was as ready as he would ever be.

He could have gone sparring, or studying or even to visit Master Yoda and brave his cooking, but finally he knew he was going to go find her. It would be a just reward for the time he would be away and even a data message would be difficult to send, although he knew he would send them.

The Center was so well planned that even with the crowds of people, it always felt as if you were in your own wonderland of plants and animals. He reached out to ascertain where she was. He wandered through paths to a room of green lawns, and lush jungle flowers. Birds were chirping sweetly from branches, seemingly unconcerned with the obvious game of hide and seek that was in progress. He could see Noela, moving back branches and looking around benches to find what he assumed was her little sister, Meredith.

He was paying so much attention to the familiar figure in pink silk and black lace he didn't notice the tiny figure hurtling toward him, giving only enough time to brace himself so to keep both of them standing. He crouched down, looking what could only be Meredith, her eyes shining, and her hair flying out in a cascade of unmanageable curls behind her.

She regarded him as solemnly as a short breath would allow her. "You came!" She declared utterly sure of herself. It startled him for a moment until he realized that Noela might have realized with her inner sense that he might just find them, and mentioned it to the little girl.

In the moments before Noela crossed the distance to join them, amused frustration showing on her face, he tried to see something similar in Meredith, other than what he presumed would be another case of being vertically challenged, to Noela and the other sister he was familiar with.

Certainly Meredith was bright and intelligent, her ability to look out of her eyes with maturity of age, surpassing what Noela's was even at fourteen when they first met.

As he stood he gave a chuckle to see the child stamp her foot in frustration at adult ignorance to her massive plans.

"We needed a Prince, so that we could act out the Princess and the Wookie."

"You of course are the Princess."

"Don't be silly. That would mean that I would have to kiss you to change you to the handsome prince, and I don't like boys or kisses. Yuck! No, Noela is the princess."

Her older sister had arrived on the scene at that point, and he wasn't sure which of them she was more exasperated with. With a wink to Mere, he whispered conspiratorially, "I don't think your sister likes to kiss boys much either. She hasn't ever kissed me."

Ignoring the withering glance shot in his direction, he stood up and gave Noela a kiss on her cheek.

'I thought I told you I didn't want to deal with Yoda, once he figures out that you have broken the rules once again and have come to meet me." Her mouth in that charmingly petulant moue she could effect when she chose.

"If you didn't want to see me you shouldn't have told me where you would be. Besides you come complete with a chaperone today. Tell him that 'if' he figures it out."

Meredith was taking everything in with a glance that was obscenely too aware of the adult things going on around her. "You do know Noela, don't you? Are you the one that made her sing after she talked to you today?"

"Mere!"

"Well you did!" Meredith's eyes filled with tears and her lip trembled with effective drama.

He gave Meredith a quick hug, and picked her up to carry her on his shoulders: a reward for telling him something that made him unaccountably happy. "I suggest we continue through the Center. There are new babies just allowed out for the crowds to see. After, I might be able to convince your sister to come for some frozen custard."

Noela was left to bring up the rear, as Qui-Gon worked his charm on her precocious sister. Shaking her head with a rueful smile, she gave up the attempt to stay proper and distant for the day.

Meredith had been happily worn out by the time they returned to Noela's spacious apartment. Noela settled her into the little sleeping couch that was all hers, and bundled her unnecessarily under comforters and duvets.

"Noeie, I liked him. I think I would be okay if I were the princess instead if he can be the Wookie and Prince."

Noela smiled, brushing back a curl from the soft little forehead. "I am sure that he will be very relieved to hear the cast changes, darling. Certainly Master Yoda will."

"Does he really have a light saber, Noeie? I should like to see it sometime. Do you think that he will show me if I ask him?"

Distracted Noela was picking up garments and putting them away. "I imagine sweetie. If you get to come to school in Coruscant, I can see if he can see you sometimes if you would like. It probably won't be very often, because he is so very busy. I can only imagine that he might have to start training someone else to be a brave Jedi soon."

"Why doesn't he have a son to train instead Noela?"

"Sweetheart, I don't understand it all myself, but he isn't allowed to have a family as you and I know it."

"That is silly Noela." Silently she found herself agreeing with her little sister.

"Is that why you haven't kissed him? You kissed Michand." How someone could look so innocent while trying to push all the right buttons, Noela would never understand.

"Mere, I really don't want to discuss this with you right now, you are worn out with all the activity and we start a long journey tomorrow," Noela huffed with a frustrated sigh.

Mere nodded sleepily. She pulled her older sisters head down to plant a sweet peck on her lips. "There, he told me to give you that tonight when I went to sleep. Sweet dreams Noela."

Noela smiled at the slight form tucked under the blankets. Sweet dreams indeed.


End file.
